Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 52 views

    FAA Guide To Low-Flying Aircraft

    Uploaded by

    promise China
    The FAA is responsible for aviation safety and investigates complaints about low-flying aircraft. To assist an investigation, witnesses should provide details like the aircraft identification, time and location of the incident, altitude, and direction of flight. Once facts are collected, the FAA will try to identify the operator and determine if regulations were violated. Regulations prohibit operating an aircraft below certain altitudes over congested areas or land/structures, except for takeoff and landing or in emergencies. Helicopters have more flexibility due to their operating characteristics.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    FAA Guide To Low-Flying Aircraft

    Uploaded by

    promise China
    52 views2 pages
    The FAA is responsible for aviation safety and investigates complaints about low-flying aircraft. To assist an investigation, witnesses should provide details like the aircraft identification, time and location of the incident, altitude, and direction of flight. Once facts are collected, the FAA will try to identify the operator and determine if regulations were violated. Regulations prohibit operating an aircraft below certain altitudes over congested areas or land/structures, except for takeoff and landing or in emergencies. Helicopters have more flexibility due to their operating characteristics.

    Original Title

    FAA Guide to Low-Flying Aircraft

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The FAA is responsible for aviation safety and investigates complaints about low-flying aircraft. To assist an investigation, witnesses should provide details like the aircraft identification, time and location of the incident, altitude, and direction of flight. Once facts are collected, the FAA will try to identify the operator and determine if regulations were violated. Regulations prohibit operating an aircraft below certain altitudes over congested areas or land/structures, except for takeoff and landing or in emergencies. Helicopters have more flexibility due to their operating characteristics.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    52 views2 pages

    FAA Guide To Low-Flying Aircraft

    Uploaded by

    promise China
    The FAA is responsible for aviation safety and investigates complaints about low-flying aircraft. To assist an investigation, witnesses should provide details like the aircraft identification, time and location of the incident, altitude, and direction of flight. Once facts are collected, the FAA will try to identify the operator and determine if regulations were violated. Regulations prohibit operating an aircraft below certain altitudes over congested areas or land/structures, except for takeoff and landing or in emergencies. Helicopters have more flexibility due to their operating characteristics.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    You are on page 1of 2

    FAA Guide to Low-Flying Aircraft

    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the government agency responsible for aviation
    safety. We welcome information from citizens that will enable us to take corrective measures
    including legal enforcement action against individuals violating Federal Aviation Regulations
    (CFR). It is FAA policy to investigate citizen complaints of low-flying aircraft operated in
    violation of the CFR that might endanger persons or property.

    Remember that the FAA is a safety organization with legal enforcement responsibilities. We
    will need facts before we conduct an investigation. To save time, please have this information
    ready if you witness another low-flying aircraft. Please keep your notes: we may request a
    written statement. Here is the type of information we need:

    • Identification – Can you identify the aircraft? Was it military or civil? Was it a high or
    low wing aircraft? What was the color? Did you record the registration number which
    appears on the fuselage or tail? (On U.S. registered aircraft, that number will be preceded
    with a capital "N".)
    • Time and Place – Exactly when did the incident(s) occur? Where did this happen? What
    direction was the aircraft flying?
    • Altitude – How high or low was the aircraft flying? On what do you base your estimate?
    Was the aircraft level with or below the elevation of a prominent object such as a tower
    or building?

    Once we have the appropriate facts, personnel from the Flight Standards District Office (FSDO)
    will attempt to identify the offending aircraft operator. We can do this in several ways. For
    example, we can check aircraft flight records with our air traffic control information and/or
    sightings from other observers, such as local law enforcement officers. We may need to trace
    and contact the registered aircraft owner, since the owner and operator may be two different
    people.

    Following is Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 91.119 of the General
    Operating and Flight Rules, which specifically prohibits low flying aircraft.

    91.119 Minimum safe altitudes; general

    Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the
    following altitudes:

    (a) Anywhere – An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without
    undue hazard to persons or property on the surface.
    (b) Over congested areas – Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over
    any open-air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle
    within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.
    (c) Over other than congested areas – An altitude of 500 feet above the surface except over
    open water or sparsely populated areas. In that case, the aircraft may not be operated
    closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.
    (d) Helicopters – Helicopters may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed In
    paragraph (b) or (c) of this section if the operation is conducted without hazard to persons
    or property on the surface. In addition, each person operating a helicopter shall comply
    with routes or altitudes specifically prescribed for helicopters by the Administrator.

    Helicopter operations may be conducted below the minimum altitudes set for fixed-wing aircraft.
    The reason: they have unique operating characteristics, the most important of which is their
    ability to execute pinpoint emergency landings during power-out emergencies. Furthermore, the
    helicopter's increased use by law enforcement and emergency medical service agencies requires
    added flexibility.

    For more information, or to report a low-flying aircraft, please contact your local FSDO. For a
    list of FSDO’s pertaining to your area, click here.

    Thank you for your interest in aviation safety.

    You might also like